This Ring is Why
by Alice Prongs
Summary: He's a survivor because of that ring. And she was going to give it back to him.
She lies on the sofa and holds his ring tightly in her hand. She still can't believe it. It couldn't be real. After everything she did to make sure that he would live, he died. Bled to death on her arms. Again. And she's still here, in the house that he chose for them, the one where they would never be able to live their future in. The future they wanted.

 _You know I'm a survivor._

And he was. He had survived for hundreds of years and she had seen him escape death so many times already. But then why was he dead? Why had he left her? He promised he wouldn't.

 _And this ring is why._

Maybe that was it. He gave her the ring that had kept him alive, and then he was dead. And all because he wanted to save her. Save the entire town. Captain Hook, who died a hero. It was all her fault. Why did she keep that damn ring? She should have just given it back to him as soon as she saw him again.

And it's so ironic. She finally admits that she loves him, and the darkness sweeps her away. She's the Dark One. He goes after her, helps her stay in the light and to control herself. They're after the sword and the dagger, they're going to end the Darkness. She can't let go. Henry tells her about Killian's plans for them, about their future, the house, everything. She's ready. She goes to their rescue and he ends up being the rescuer. But there's a cut, a tiny one, and she heals it. They're winning, they're almost there, their future is right around the corner, and as she's joining the sword, he falls to the ground and her entire world crumbles down.

He's dying, he's bleeding to death and she can't heal him, nothing can heal a wound caused by Excalibur. She knows how to save him, even if everyone thinks she shouldn't do it, including him. But what about their future? What about their white picket fence life? They were so close, she can't give up now. And so she does it. She turns him into a Dark One so that he doesn't die, and she wants to get the Darkness out of both of them. It doesn't work that way. He gives in to it and she loses him. He's the Dark One now. And she tries again, after he enacts the curse, she takes away their memories so that he doesn't know what he did, just until she finds a way to get the Darkness out of both of them.

And along the way she's heartbroken because he doesn't love her anymore. Not that her, at least. He doesn't love Dark Emma and it's ironic because he's also Dark Killian. And when he finds out what she did to him, he blames her again, he hates her and he goes after everyone she loves and for that she can't forgive him. And when everything appears to have gone wrong, when she thinks she's about to lose everyone she loves, Killian does it. He's the hero. He lets go of the darkness and saves everyone. She finally has him back, but she has to kill him so everyone can live. And once again, that small cut is there again, and he's bleeding to death in her arms, except this time she can't save him and he's gone.

And that's it. That's the irony. Every single time they were about to get their happily ever after, there was a setback. Another trouble, another villain, another something that separates them. This time, it separates them forever. He's gone forever. He left her, just like everyone else, even though he promised he wouldn't.

The worst part is, the only feeling she can have is the one of sadness. She can't even be mad at him because he saved the entire town by sacrificing himself. And so she holds on to his ring, mourning, blaming herself and feeling completely lost without him there.

That is, until she hears the whispers.

She still doesn't know how she can get surprised with all the horrible things Rumplestiltskin does. Not even after she made him a hero he gave up his hunger for power. He still lied and lied again to everyone, including Belle, and tricked them into doing what he wanted. He made Killian's sacrifice be worth nothing.

And that was why she would go to the Underworld.

She would bring him back.

And as soon as she does it, as soon as he's alive again, back in her arms, the first thing she does is put the necklace with the ring back around his neck, hugging him tight as she feels him breath by her ear, and that alone makes her so damn _relieved_. He's alive again.

"You don't ever let go from that ring again, do you hear me?" She's whispering, trembling, fearing that he would vanish at any second, and the bastard just chuckles.

"Aye, love, don't worry. I'm not going anywhere. Not anymore." He caresses her face, nudging her cheek with his nose lovingly. She holds him tighter.

"You better not. Or I promise I'll kill you myself." He laughs out loud this time, which makes her look at him outraged, but he kisses her before she can complain.

"I love you, Emma."

"I love you too, Killian."


End file.
